Beginnings and an End
by applesandcherries
Summary: Here they were, staring at each other. Messenger and Doomed. AR implied


**A/N: Just a little something I came up with yesterday. I hope you'll enjoy reading it. :)**

Disclaimer: Battlestar Galactica and its characters aren't mine; I am making no money out of this. You know the drill.

**Beginnings and an End**

_The planet Earth, 2013_

The sun was warm on her face and the soft breeze tangled itself in her long auburn hair, as she stood on one of the balconies of the "White House", overlooking the garden and the city beyond.

A wry smile played across her lips, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and closed her eyes.

It had only been a week since they had stumbled upon the planet spoken of in their old myths and the very content of their hopes and dreams, ever since their world's, as they knew them, ended.

Their long, exhausting journey had come to and end.

The _Earthlings_ had been surprised by their arrival, to say the least, but had welcomed them more open-minded than she had assumed they would. Which could result in, at least the government knowing, that extraterrestrial life existed; even before the fleets' arrival.

Laura cringed inwardly. Thanks to them, the whole planet now knew that fact.

Taking another deep breath, she opened her eyes again, blinking shortly against the sun's bright light. Her eyes were still adjusting to natural light after living in space for so long. New Caprica's sun was only a ghost of a memory for her now. Other things about the planet, however, were not, so she directed her thoughts back to the present. It was safer this way.

Letting her gaze wander once again over her surroundings, the wry smile returned again to her lips.

She would never have the chance to see all the beautiful places she had seen on pictures and on the television.

Laura doubted anyone would have the chance to see all of them, but her time was even more limited. Despite all the excitement about the discovery of the planet, up to their settlement, she was still dying.

The Dying Leader had fulfilled her destiny and now she could rest in peace.

Even though she didn't want to. Not yet. Not when so much was left to do, so much left unsaid.

Laura Roslin took a shuddering breath, and hugged her thinning body still tighter.

A bird's cry caught her attention and her emerald eyes searched the reddening sky for its source.

Finally catching the black spot in the sky, she followed the animals path, surprised to see it gracefully landing on the balcony railing a few feet to her right.

The suns last rays caught on its black feathers, giving the raven an otherworldly appearance.

Its black eyes watched her with an intensity that let a shiver run down her spine.

So he had come to find her, after all, she thought bitterly. The messenger of doom. Only for her to see; bearing a message only she understood.

Her time was running out.

She felt her knees getting weak and her hands shot forward to grip the railing as tightly as her frail bones allowed.

Still, the raven watched her. Steadily. Unmoving.

A sob threatened to escape her throat, but she choked it down.

The wind picked up in strength and her eyes began to water; from the turmoil of her emotions or from the wind hitting her face, she didn't know. She guessed it was a mixture of both.

Stubbornly, she blinked them away, before directing her defiant glare at the bird.

For a while, they just stared at each other; human and animal, messenger and doomed.

Then, its small, black head whipped around and Laura followed its gaze. The balcony door had been opened and her Admiral was about to step outside. She smiled a sad smile. He was another 'thing' she didn't want to leave behind.

Turning her head around again, her eyes sought the spot, they had vacated a moment ago. She wasn't surprised to find it empty. The raven was gone.

Had it been there at all, or had it just been another of her chamalla-induced visions?

She shook her head and uttered a soft sigh, before she felt his warm presence beside her. His body was closer to hers then was strictly appropriate, but she didn't care. She wasn't the President for much longer, and she wanted to be just Laura again, for as long as she still could.

Her hand, which had been gripping the stone railing with terror moments before, now rested gently on the warm flesh of his left hand. The contact was subtle, but she relished it like a starving woman would a piece of bread.

A second later, she felt his hand shift slightly, letting his fingers tangle themselves with her own.

The gentle squeeze he gave her hand told her more than words ever could.

He would be by her side until her dying breath. Just like he had always been.

Together, they stared into the sunset.

In the distance, the sky was steadily getting redder. A symbol for all the lives that were lost, all the blood that had been shed. But also for new beginnings.

Beginnings that weren't hers to witness.

_fin._


End file.
